Manufacture and performance of particulate reinforced titanium matrix composites

A novel cost-effective in-situ technique was introduced to manufacture particulate reinforced titanium matrix composites, which was based on the self-consumable vacuum arc remelting (VAR) process. The reinforcing particulates, TiB and TiC, were in-situ synthesized in the titanium matrix via the addition of B4C and graphite powders during processing. The in-situ formed TiB and TiC particulates are fine and uniformly distributed in the matrix. Performances of the insitu composites are considerably improved, compared with that of titanium alloy counterpart both at room and high temperatures. The in-situ technique offers a promising route to produce particulate reinforced titanium matrix composites on a large scale from both technical and economic considerations.